The National tribune., 1887-06-09
OUR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers
FARM CLEANING.

u
appropriately, and in fact, necessarily, per-
formed by every farmer. The decay of vege-
| table matter about the house in damp warm
weather is liable to induce sickness in the
family, and the decay of the same about the
barn and in the field is liable to produce
similar result with animals. All such litter has
a value as a fertilizer, and should be added TO
the compost heap. Brush, wood, stumps, etc,
not suitable for fuel, and that cannot be easily
converted into il may be burned and the ashes
applied to the soil. All the old and dead wood
about the currant, raspberry and blackberry
bushes should be removed and burned. If cult
waited fields have stones upon the surface these
should be removed so as not to interfere too
much with the tillage. Trees should be trim
med; underbrush at fence-corners removed and
burned; underdrains examined, to see thatthe
is no obstruction at the outlets. All of this
labor can be performed before the season is
sufficiently advanced TO admit Of farm work,
| and if successfully performed will add very
much to the appearance of the farm. Neatness
in all things, whether applied to personal APP
pearaHce, the home or the farm, is a commend
| able virtue and one which in some cases might
be cultivated to advantage.
PRoPAGATING STRAWBERRIES.
If farmers are DESTROYS of obtaining a good
supply of different varieties of strawberries by
| process of approved economy, it can be done
| at very slight original expense. The straw
berry is naturally very easy propagation, re-
| quiring comparatively little attention, unless
il is desired TO grow the greatest possible num-
| Der of plants. Mr.. Green, in his pamphlet,
How 10 Propagate and Cultivate Small
Plants" says that it is possible To grow from 500
| to 1000 plants from one vigorous strawberry
plant; so, even If no more than one-tenth of
| that number, or even less than that were pro-
duced, only one plant of the different varieties
desired would produce all the plants required.
/ For prOpagating purposes, set strong plant on
| a very rich, mellow soil, and as fast as runners
are put forth and show leaves at the joints put
q little stone or weight close to the joint, TO
hold it TO the soil, into which it will extend
roots, and then continue on TO repeat the opera
ton. Thus an almost unlimited supply of
plants can be produced for setting the next sea-
son. Ten plants of kind left to grow in what
would be called the mating system of culture,
would produce all the berries that any ordinary
family would require, and the continued repe-
titiOn Of this course, setting plants every year,
is about as satisfactory for farmers as any that
can BIO pursued.
| CARED UDDER.
It is not unfrequently the case that when
| COWS are in high condition at the time of calv-
| ing, unless the milk is drawn before the calf is
| dropped, the udder is very liable to become
caked from the retention of the milk, which if
unrelieved will result in permanent injury.
| OF course, prevention is better than cure, aud
| if the COW is watched aud the udder become
too much distended the milk should be drawn
if the calf is not dropped. if il is dropped
and the secretion Of milk is excessive it should
/
| In case, however, that caking of the udder &C.
ours it should be removed at once by the means
| of an application of hot water TO the uddeT, as
hot as can possibly be borne by the animal or
| the person making the application; also work
the udder with the hands. Do this three or
fcur times day, rubbing the udder dry, and
| tho trouble will be removed. During the time
| of treatment the animal should be kept warm
and the udder CREASED to prevent any taking
cold, which might cause garget.
EVERGREEN TREES
Besides producing pleasing landscape effect
| that can be produced in no other way, the
| planting Of evergreen trees affords protection
| from cold winds in Winter TO the dwelling and
/ outbuildings Spruce, fir and arborvitB trees
are free growers, and if set when quite small
the act will be more likely to be attended with
| success than If the trees are larger. The pro-
| lection which they afford to orchards often
~
circular Enclosure was formed of srbOrvite sur
rounding pear tree the size of the fruit and
| increased productiveness of the tree as COM
| pared with others outside was very marked.
| The same was true of trees set in the row with
the evergreens showing cOnclusiyely the favor
able influence exerted by them.
NOTES.
The best material for fattening fowls is
sweet potatoes and corn meal.
"A dollars worth of tarred paper placed on
the walls of poultry house to keep out the
cold, will return its cost tenfOld in few
| weeks.
Cover the floor with dry dirt or sawdust
in order TO absorb the dampness from the feet,
| thus adding to the comfort Of the poultry
| house.
| Keeping food before the fowls continually
| removes all inducement for them to scratch.
They should be SO fed as to be compelled to
work
For spraying apple trees for the codling
| moth, the proportion should be one pound of
Paris green or London purple to two barrels, or
| 100 gallons, of water.
An excellent egg producing food is one part
corn meal, two parts bran, two parts ground
| OATS one part ground meat, and one part mid
| dlings, TO which may be added a small proper
ton of bono meal and salt; scald it aud feed
early in the morning.
Tho number of sheep in tho world is esti-
mated as follows, according TO the latest Stats
| tics South America, 100 600, 900; Australasia,
| including New Zealand, 77,OOOOOO; Europe,
2l2O00,OO0; Africa, 25OO0OO0; Asia, 50.OO0.-
900; United States 100000; Canada, 3,OO0,-
600; all other countries, 5,O00,OO total, 5l7,-
100000. In the United States the average yield
of wool is about six pounds per head.
The bark louise, or scale bug, IS injuring
and killing apple trees in number of towns
| in Niagara County. n. Y. One farmer has an
orchard of thrifty lS-year old trees which last
Summer were seen to be dying, and when they
were inspected this Spring it was found that
there existed on some of the limbs germ that
contains the eggs of the insect. On Matching
out in the Spring they boIe holes in the inner
bark and kill the trOe.
Market gardeners, you have been using
large quantities of stable manure on your land
every year at heavy cost; try this expert
ment: Do not use any stable manure. but, in
stead thereof, spread 200 pounds of dissolved
bone. 200 pounds Of raw bone -four and 200
pounds of nitrate of soda TO the acre, and har-
row in Immediately before sowing and plant
ing. small quantity OF kainit, furnishing
salt and magneSia as well as potash, might also
prove servcCable-say 100 pounds TO the acre.
Never select a horse having long cars lined
inside with long straight hair. DO not buy one
that is narrow between the ears and between
the eyes, or that has fiat round eyes in sunken
orbits, and whose nO5trils are short and thick
for he will certainly prove beast of small in
telligence, hard 10 teach incapable Of remem-
bering and liable to DO obstinate, Just as stupid
Al "A. IL